Concerts aim to boost area's image in entertainment industry

Friday

Dec 7, 2012 at 3:30 PM

The Houma-Terrebonne area doesn't see many national acts in concert.

Kris JohnsonStaff Writer

The Houma-Terrebonne area doesn't see many national acts in concert. Even though the area has several venues capable of holding such events including the Thibodaux Civic Center, the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center and the Firemen's Fairgrounds, officials at some local venues say the cost-benefit ratio isn't high enough. “Some of our early year concerts we had, whether put on by the Civic Center Development Corp. or outside promoters, haven't been very successful attendance wise,” said Janel Ricca, the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center's executive director, citing a cancelation in the venue's Ladies of Country concert series. The series had brought Wynonna Judd, Lori Morgan and LeeAnn Womack in concert during the center's first year of operation, but the third concert was called off due to lack of attendance. “I can't say for what reason, other than I feel that people like the atmosphere of going to concerts in New Orleans. Concerts are a huge expense to the promoter up front, so there's always a risk going into the event day as to how well financially they'll turn out. Sponsorships can help offset the expense, but the main source of revenue to overcome the large talent fees to bring acts here is the admission revenue.”Randy Pate, chief of the Thibodaux Volunteer Fire Department, said he understands the work that goes into getting national acts to the area. Pate was instrumental in planning the department's first country music festival, Flames on the Bayou, at the Firemen's Fairgrounds in October, which featured country-music headliners Billy Currington and Thompson Square. “People from here will travel to Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Lafayette. But we're centrally located, about an hour from these three major hubs, so we should be able to get them to come here,” he said. About 2,000 people attended Flames on the Bayou, a fundraiser for the department's five-year plan to replace older pump trucks.WHAT IT TAKES“When big artists are playing a small venue or a small city, they want more money upfront so negotiations take a lot of time,” said Pate, who was expecting to sell around 4,000 tickets. “That means advertising can't start until artists are officially lined up. It had to come together quickly. We had 30 days to advertise by the time we dealt with the bands and their managers and restrictions. It took over three months to negotiate with the bands. So we had a lower turnout than we expected. We were hoping for a larger crowd. But we learned a lot and know how and when to start planning next time.” Unless more of an effort is made to bring the acts people want to see, locals will have to keep filling up their gas tanks and making the trek to New Orleans, Baton Rouge or Lafayette for their musical entertainment. But one promoter says he's dedicated to keeping concertgoers here and, eventually, bringing outsiders into the area, changing the way the bayou region is perceived in the entertainment industry.

‘WILLING TO DO THE WORK'“We wanted to show people that there's a different place to go to enjoy themselves outside of New Orleans and Baton Rouge,” Promoter Akari Williams said. “We had to pay extra because of the market, but we were willing to do the work. We did what we had to do to try to get the outcome we want.”Williams, the man behind Saturday night's Keyshia Cole concert, is a promoter with Houma-based A&M Productions. He said the toughest hurdle in getting national acts to the area is its market rating in the entertainment industry. The bayou region has a C rating. The rating is based on what members of the area's population do for entertainment. “In New Orleans there are a bunch of events that get national attention,” Williams said. “We're a C market because of the type of people that live here and what they like to do. It doesn't show that we like concerts because there are hardly any here. But people here like to go to concerts. Many just don't go to them because they're out of town, and we don't have enough here, especially for the hip-hop and R&B culture. We want to change that and make this become at least a B market. So we need all the help and support we can get.”

WHAT'S IN STOREA&M Production's first concert of a set was Saturday at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center. The Red Carpet Affair, which featured singer Keyshia Cole, was open-seating-style in which promoters decided to leave space near the stage for a dance floor.“It's our culture,” he said. “We like to dance, not sit in seats watching somebody sing. So we wanted people to feel free to go dance and go back to their seats when they're ready.”Cole is also the star of two reality shows, “The Way It Is” and “Keyshia & Daniel: Family First,” a show chronicling her relationship with her new husband, Daniel Gibson, of the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers. Both shows air on the Black Entertainment Television network.The Red Carpet Affair also included performances by other R&B artists — Lyfe Jennings, T'Melle and J. Holiday.As for fans of the genre, community response to the news that more concerts are on their way has been positive. “I'm rocking her new album,” Houma resident Natasha Mart said about Cole in response to a Courier and Daily Comet Facebook post. “I thought it was a joke when I heard Keyshia Cole was performing in Houma. Somebody in Houma has some connections on the R&B/hip-hop level.” “That is wonderful that those young men are doing the things they are doing to show that Houma has really grown and that big things can happen in Houma,” 37-year-old Houma resident Sacajawea Howard added. “I love it.” Amber Voisin, 28, of Houma said she also was surprised to hear the news. “Keyshia Cole, Lyfe Jennings and J. Holiday are awesome,” she said. “I'm amazed that they are coming here. Woo hoo!” Another event, The Teenage Affair, featuring Diggy Simmons, son of Rev Run from iconic '80s rap group Run DMC, is set for 6 p.m. Dec. 29. Tickets cost $35. Ricca said the area needs to bring more diverse events here — appealing to many different people. She said the center's staff has been working to do so. “We have been doing better when it comes to bringing in concerts, whether for public or private entertainment,” Ricca said. “In the past few years we've had Styx, Night Ranger, Three Dog Night, Justin Moore and Future Shorty and Cupid. I think because of all the concerts we have been doing, word is getting out about the venue, and we're getting more requests from promoters such as Akari.” “We're working with the promoters that do call and trying to look for partners who can work with us to bring acts here with successful results,” she added. “Hopefully these two concerts will be just that and will develop into more concert business for the future.”However, Ricca's comments didn't say if the Civic Center staff members were actively pursuing concerts or searching for promoters.“If these concerts do well, more opportunities could be created for this area,” Williams said. “We could get other artists, and it'll open up doors for the future in more than just the music industry. We want to step up this area. We're creating connections. People who heard about the Keyshia Cole and Diggy concerts are like ‘Man. Y'all are having that in Houma?' ”

Staff Writer Kris Johnson can be reached at 857-2207 or kris.johnson@houmatoday.com. Follow her on Twitter @krisLjo.